They'll See
by Underneaththeice
Summary: Harry and Hermione from an outside perspective. Quite firmly HHr, with a special appearance by two original characters.


Arlith Anria and Nell Medeiros are mine; Harry, Hermione, the Harry Potter world, and everything in it, are not. Written in an hour or so- I wanted a cute little ficlet about Harry and Hermione seen from an outside perspective. Arlith and Nell have many stories, having been created circa 2002- Nell by myself and Arlith by a friend. I might, at some point, write about them exclusively. This fic is quite firmly Harry/Hermione (and Nell/Arlith, of course).

* * *

They'll See 

"When do you think they'll realize it?"

Arlith looked up from his sketchpad, where he was colouring in an image of a rather life-like dragon. Colourless fire was coming out of its mouth in a narrow jet, as its body slowly became more life-like with the addition of many shades of green, of grey, and even an iridescent ink that he used whenever he wanted something to seem as if it was sparkling. The dragon on the sketchpad was crouched protectively in front of a young, red-haired woman in black robes. "Who?" he finally asked, his attention turning to the young woman sitting beside him.

Nell Medeiros gave a sigh of impatience, though after a moment she softened it by brushing a kiss over Arlith's cheek. "Those two," she murmured, gesturing toward a pair of students walking near the lake. "Harry Potter and Hermione Granger." The young witch tucked a strand of very red hair behind one ear, before her fingers returned to embroidering a strangely shaped bit of fabric in her lap- a sleeve for one of her latest creations. "Don't tell me you can't see that they're in love." _Even an idiot can see it. They're just a bit too blind. Oh, and worried that they'll ruin their friendship and hurt their other friend Ronald. _Her attention shifted to the pair again, before she settled herself against Arlith's shoulder a bit more firmly.

It took a few minutes for Arlith to reply- he was busy colouring in one of the dragon's wings. "How can _you_ tell?" he asked, finally. "Vision thinks that it's Ginny Weasley Harry has his eye on." His words were met with a sniff.

"Vision wouldn't know what two people in love looked like," Nell murmured with what could only be termed gentle contempt, "Unless they were at that moment exchanging wedding vows. He's more interested in his cats and making things explode." While her words prompted a chuckle out of Arlith, they were true- the pair's friend Vision was far too caught up in thinking of new ways to cause explosions, to pay much attention to romance. "I can tell just by looking at them. Don't you remember the way Potter looked at her during the Halloween ball, when she was wearing that dress?"

Arlith's quill coloured in the second wing on his Welsh Green before he responded with anything more than a grunt. "I was too busy looking at you, Nell, and you know it. And so were some of the other Gryffindors." The last came out as a grumble, soothed away when Nell's lips touched his shoulder. "I suppose the fact that they're standing so close together is some indication, though," he murmured. "And the way he tilts his head to listen to her. As if he actually wants to hear whatever she's saying."

Nell set her embroidery aside for a moment, then tucked herself under Arlith's arm, delaying his sketch from being finished. "You see?" she asked. "Besides, I know it. I can hear them from here. Granger knows how to make her thoughts unreadable, but Potter is hopeless at—" Her speech was silenced rather suddenly when Arlith's mouth covered hers in a soft, but so very sweet kiss. Her thoughts on The Boy Who Lived and his friend vanished instantly, coming back several minutes later when she finally pulled away to catch her breath.

"Nell, let them worry about it for now. If they haven't started snogging by next year, I'll let you meddle." That particular comment earned Arlith a glare, but he had the perfect remedy for that: kissing Nell until she was senseless.

* * *

On the other side of the lake, Hermione Granger sighed almost wistfully as she watched a dark-haired boy pull his redheaded girlfriend into what was proving to be a rather long snogging session. She looked up at Harry, who was walking alongside her, and offered him a smile. "Some people are enjoying the day," she ventured, gesturing vaguely toward the couple on the other side of the lake. 

Harry's attention shifted to Hermione, and then to the couple she was gesturing at. His cheeks turned pink, and he quickly looked away. "That's Arlith, from our House. I think his friend is that strange girl from Ravenclaw." He shrugged, before looking ahead again. "Can't blame them for enjoying themselves, 'Mione. No one knows how long we have until Voldemort strikes." A chill ran through him, then, though his scar did not throb- it was only his own fear, not a sign that Voldemort was nearby. How long would it be, though, before he was? Harry was shaken out of his thoughts when he felt Hermione taking his hand. "'Mione?" he asked, confusion clear in his voice.

"We don't know how long we have, no," Hermione murmured, as her grip on his hand stopped Harry's walking. She ignored his questioning tone and instead leaned up, her mouth brushing against his. "Maybe that's why it's so important to sieze the moment." Her heart beat just a little faster as Harry's confusion seemed to abate, and her mouth was far too busy for words. It might almost have been a dream. The way that she fit against him, the way that his lips moved over hers. Neither of them was experienced, but that didn't matter.

From the other side of the lake, a little shriek of triumph was heard, stifled quickly as Arlith once more stole his witch's attention away from Harry and Hermione, and toward more important matters.


End file.
